Daniel Willam Cloud - Alamo Martyr

Daniel Willam Cloud - Alamo Martyr

I'm looking for information to tie my great-great grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Cloud (b. 13 SEP 1851 in Logan Co., KY), to John B. Cloud, who was either her father or grandfather. John B. Cloud was the brother of Daniel William Cloud (my 4th great uncle, I believe) who died defending the Alamo on 06 MAR 1836. All these Clouds were from Logan Co., KY.

Anyone interseted in learning fascinating details of the life and death of Daniel W. Cloud, I have done a bit of research that I would be happy to share.

Daniel Cloud's Final Days

Thanks for responding. I came across a pedigree chart a few days ago at www.familysearch.org that filled in my missing generation. My 2nd great grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Cloud, is the daughter of Stephen Rutherford Cloud. He was my missing link, so it looks like that makes us cousins of a sort. Mary's mother was Nancy Hickman. I wasn't aware that Stephan had a second wife and do not know if Nancy was the first or second. Mary appears to be the oldest of the children of Stephan and Nancy.

While assigned to the American Embassy in Mexico City from 1995-98, I worked with the Texas State Archives and Libraries Commission and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas Revolution to attempt the recovery of an Almao flag that has been in the possession of the Mexican government since 1836. Our efforts, like half a dozen other attempts since 1936, unfortunately failed. In researching the flag's history, however, I came across many interesting footnotes on Daniel William Cloud. Here are the highlights:

26 DEC 1835 - Daniel writes his oft-quoted letter to his brother John, while in Natchitoches, LA, a trading post on the Red River that served as a gateway to Texas for colonists, explorers, and volunteers for the army.

Early JAN 1836 - Daniel crosses the Red River, entering Texas for the first time.

14 JAN 1836 - Along with a dozen or so voluteers from KY and TN, Daniel enlists in the Volunteer Auxiliary Corps of Texas in the town of Nagodoches, TX. Among those enlisting that day was Davy Crockett. The group, including Crockett and Cloud, was formed into a company under a Captain William Harrison.

20 JAN 1836 - Harrison's company passes through Washington-on-the-Brazos en route to San Antonio de Bexar.

09 FEB 1836 - Harrison's company arrives at San Antonio. They are one of the last units to reach San Antonio.

23 FEB 1836 - A 6,000-man Mexican Army under General Santa Ana begins arriving in San Antonio. Harrison's company is assigned the task of holding the city while the rest of the Texan force falls back into the Alamo compound. When they later rejoin the main force within the Alamo, garrison commander Lieutenant Colonel William Travis assigns them to guard the weakest portion of the makeshift fort -- the low wooden palisade on the south wall, next to the chapel. There they remain throughout the entire 13-day siege, to fight and die.

06 MAR 1836 - In the pre-dawn darkness at about 5:00 AM, 1,500 of Santa Ana's troops launch a final massive assault on all four of the Alamo's walls. The Alamo is defended by fewer than 200 Texans. Harrison's company of a dozen or so men (including Cloud and Crockett) are armed with rifles and a single 4-lb. cannon. Early in the battle, a 100-man Mexican column under a Colonel Morelos attempts to breach the low palisade. Loaded with scap iron, the cannon serves as a giant shotgun and forces the Mexican troops back. A second assault is likewise repulsed. Suffering staggering loses, Morelos decides to bypass the palisade's defenses and attack a more poorly defended area of the fort. In the meantime, the primary assualt force finally breaks through and over the north wall at the opposite extreme of the compound. Only twenty minutes after the start of the attack, hundreds of Santa Ana's troops are now inside the Alamo's walls. It would take another hour, however, to clean out nests of defenders. Working their way south through the compound, the Mexicans found the final pocket of defenders near the Chapel in the southeast corner of the Alamo -- Harrison's position. Holding out until the fateful end, Harrison's men -- Cloud, Crockett, and the rest -- stood their ground and died in place defending the inner courtyard of the Alamo Chapel. Within the chapel, the women and children of the Alamo had taken refuge. None of the defenders survived, only the women and children were spared.

Today, the monument to the Defenders of the Alamo stands close enough to cast its shadow on the site where Daniel Cloud and Davy Crockett laid down their lives.

Daniel Cloud is largely known to history because he wrote two letters home to his brother John, and because those letters survive today. Were it not for this, Daniel Cloud would have been little more than what are the vast majority of Alamo defenders -- names on one of Travis' rosters.

Daniel's letter contains a rationale for going to the Alamo which is as poetic as it is inspiring:

"The cause of Philanthropy, of Humanity, of Liberty and human happiness throughout the world call loudly on every man to come to the aid of Texas. If we succeed, the country is ours. ... If we fail, death in the cause of liberty is not cause for shuddering. ... Our rifles are by our side, we know what awaits us, and are prepared to meet it."

These lines are quoted in the brochure that was being handed out to visitors of the Alamo in 1996. It is quoted in almost every movie and documentary every made about the Alamo. In James Mitchner's novel Texas, the author felt the words too powerful to be attributed to a young man unknown to popular history, and so put them into the mouth of William Travis. The curator of the Alamo once told me that the reason for quoting Daniel Cloud's letter in their brochure and other publications is that they believe his words to best capture the spirit of the Alamo defender.

I hope this helps to bring alive our common ancestor. He left no children, so neices and nephews down the line are the only kin his has to remember him.

Stephen Rutherford served in the Union army during the "War of Northern Aggression". His brothers served in the Confederate army. Stephen was living in Missouri @ this time. He was a Private in the 60th Regiment, I believe, CO F, from Dec 1, 1862 to March 31,1863. He served under a Captain Newberry.

Our family is well acquainted with the service that Daniel William Cloud gave to the cause for Texas independence. The descendants of his brother, John Buck Cloud, donated the original December 1835 letter to his brother, John, to the DRT. The letter is housed in the archives @ the DRT library on the Alamo grounds. And Daniel has been recorded in several books.

Stephen Rutherford died in 1916 in Arapaho, Oklahoma and is buried in Clinton, Oklahoma.

So, cousin! I was born in Eagle Pass, Texas and lived in San Antonio....during the Depression, our family ( Stephen Rutherford's son, Leo P. and his son, Burnie Allen)moved from Oklahoma to San Antonio. So, Daniel's family ended up living where he died. We still have family in San Antonio today!

It would be great to learn more about you, as we surely are cousins! Hope to hear from you soon!

Stephen Rutherford Cloud

Thanks for the information on Stephen's Civil War service; I believe he is the first yankee to have turned up in my family tree. (I'm note sure I should tell my mother!) :-)

Being a former/retired Army officer, the military service of any ancestor is of interest to me. I'm especially intrigued with Revolutionary War service. Stephan's great grandfather, William Cloud (1745-1798) would have been in the right generation and location (Virginia) to have served. Do you know anything about that?

Also, once I plugged Stephen's bio data into the geneology website I've been using, I suddenly was able to access a series of pedigree charts showing the Cloud line back quite a number of generations to the person who would have been my 14th great grandfater, born in England in 1502. That was pretty exciting. You sound like you've been at this longer than me, so you may already have all these generations. If not, take a look at www.familysearch.org and begin with Stephen Rutherford Cloud, then start clicking on the "pedigree" icons.

Thanks again,Alan

Stephen Rutherford Cloud

I'm glad you are doing research on the Cloud line. Yes, I've been doing this on and off for the past 25 years. The family history has been a part of us ever since we can remember! It is quite an honor to come from such a family of patriots.

Yes, Stephen was the only one in his family to serve in the Union; we had searched Confederate records for the longest...someone thought we might check Union records, so there you are! I have a copy of Stephen's death certificate.

Thanks for the website info. check this website for Cloud family info...it's VERY good. I was a member of the CFA, but haven't kept up my membership. My mother is a past secretary-treasurer. Here's the website: //genweb,net/~cloud/

Re: Daniel Cloud-Alamo Martyr

To: Debora Ferguson Baud I found this old 2000 post you made today. I have tried the e-mail address you listed but it must not be current as my e-mail to you was undeliverable. I would like to have you contact me if you get this message. I will explain my interest after I hear from you. You can contact me at csllady@yahoo.com Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon.

Re: Daniel Cloud-Alamo Martyr

my ggg-grandfather was Stephen Rutherford Cloud, if you put in "alamo daniel william cloud" in any search, it will take you to a site called mykindred.com and you can track your cloud generations 8 back, to the 1500's. you probably know this already but i ran across your posts a decade later. my grandfather was bruce cloud, sr.

tim kiselis

Re: Daniel Willam Cloud - Alamo Martyr

My daughter, Kevon, has also been researching the Cloud line. She is a descendant of Mary Elizabeth Cloud also. You may contact her at kevonhardin@hotmail.com to collaborate materials. She has so little on the other children of Mary Elizabeth and Robert Jason Buchanan.

Mary Elizabeth Cloud's father was Stephen (Steven) Rutherford Cloud, born 3 MAY 1832 in Logan Co., KY. and Nancy Hickman. Little is known at this time of Nancy Hickman, other than her death about 1864 in Logan Co., KY.

Re: Daniel Cloud-Alamo Martyrt

Hi Debora, My name is Samuel Lewis. My grandparents, Donald and Reba lewis would always take me to the Alamo growing up. I even have quite a few books with Daniel Clouds name highlighted and little notes from them saying that he was my 5th great uncle. Would love to hear more about this and find this out:) thanks, Sam